Gospel MATTHEW 9:14-17

The disciples of John approached Jesus and said, "Why do we and the Pharisees fast much, but your disciples do not fast?" Jesus answered them, "Can the wedding guests mourn as long as the bridegroom is with them? The days will come when the bridegroom is taken away from them, and then they will fast. No one patches an old cloak with a piece of un-shrunken cloth, for its fullness pulls away from the cloak and the tear gets worse. People do not put new wine into old wine skins. Otherwise the skins burst, the wine spills out, and the skins are ruined. Rather, they pour new wine into fresh wine skins, and both are preserved."

Reflection

Free us from temptation

Abstain us from sin

Suffering with a purpose

To draw us closer to you, O Lord

When we choose to fast, may we do it out of purposeful love. So that we may be ‘preserved’ like new wine in fresh wine skins; Jesus’ love pour out into us is sustained in a sanctuary made for His love.